The Magic of Mistletoe
by ANGSWIN
Summary: A holiday prank at Hogwarts brings two professors closer together...Written for the 2017 Fairest of the Rare Christmas Advent.


"Oh, thank goodness, Neville. I have been stuck here _forever!_ You will help me, won't you?" Hermione implored as Professor Longbottom quickly rounded the corner of the Charms corridor after escorting the students down to the Hogsmeade station to send them home for the holidays. As soon as he came into view of her office doorway where she now stood, Neville stopped in surprise at the sound of his fellow professor's voice. Then his brain registered what she had said and he looked closer.

"Well, well, well…" he drawled, but tried not to smile, as his eyes took in the magical mistletoe that kept Hermione pinned in place. "What do we have here?"

"Little Teddy Lupin, Marauder-in-training, is what we have here," Hermione retorted sharply. "He has been spending entirely too much time with George Weasley, apparently. I love the boy, but when I get my hands on him… _and_ his mentor…" She left the threat hanging, but Neville was sure that he could figure out the rest of her statement without help.

He couldn't help but to smirk a little, though, as he came closer to the irritated woman whose lively hair had started to spark with the force of her ire. She had been his friend since their first day on the Hogwarts Express when they were eleven and his colleague, as well, ever since she had taken over the Charms positions when Flitwick had finally retired the previous year. Consequently, he knew her well enough to know that she was near her breaking point when her hair began to react like that. However, even though he found the overall situation humorous, he did not like to see her upset, and so he tried to calm her down with his next words. "You will have to get free of the spell first. Then I will help you find them and destroy them both…if that is what you want. I _am_ the infamous Snake Slayer, you know."

The ploy worked and Hermione smiled, in spite of her circumstances. Despite his actions during the final battle and his subsequent status as a war hero, Neville was one of the gentlest men she had ever known. He could be firm when he needed to be, but he was _never_ harsh with the children. He had suffered too much under Professor Snape to ever be able to treat his own students that way. He would never harm anyone, either, unless it was to protect himself or others. Therefore, she knew that he was just trying to cheer her up…and it worked. She slowly relaxed…and so did her hair. She then smiled sweetly at him again for his thoughtfulness before she explained what happened. "The turquoise-haired prankster must have timed it so that I would get caught after everyone left. I knew that he was up to something because he was entirely too cheerful when he came to say goodbye, but I didn't suspect _this_! However, as soon as the corridors were clear…Bam!...I got stuck. It's been almost an hour, but nobody has come by…until you."

"It's quite lucky for us both that I didn't go straight back to the greenhouses, then. Isn't it?" Neville said honestly as he caught her gaze. He had always liked the brilliant muggleborn witch – much more than _just_ liked _,_ actually. However, somehow the timing had never been right for them. First, the Bulgarian Quidditch player had come between them, then the war had separated them, and then Ron Weasley had made his move before he had a chance to do so…all of which had left Neville on the sidelines of her affection for years. However, they had grown closer again in the term that she had been teaching at Hogwarts and he still had high hopes that they could become more than just friends this time around. After all, they were both now experienced _single_ adults who knew what they wanted out of life. Despite that, he had been hesitant to try and take things further…just in case he was completely wrong. He didn't want to jeopardize their longstanding friendship, if he had indeed misread the situation. Therefore, he had danced around the issue while he waited and watched for his chance. Now, he could not help but to wonder eagerly if this was the opportunity he needed. After all, everyone knew what the usual cure was for being stuck under magical mistletoe. His heart started to pound just thinking about it.

"Yes…um…it _was_ lucky…really" Hermione answered and her voice grew a little shaky as he moved even closer. She had always liked Neville, but working closely together with him this term had left her with a much stronger feeling than ever for one of her oldest and closest friends. However, there had not been another man in her life since she and Ron had amicably called it quits more than a year earlier when they had finally admitted to themselves and to each other that their relationship had run its course. Therefore, she just didn't trust herself to recognize the signs that Neville might be interested in her as more than just friends – even though she desperately wanted that to be true. Even so, she knew exactly what he was going to have to do to free her from the binding magic of the mistletoe…and her heartbeat sped up just at the thought of it.

The atmosphere around them turned surprisingly intense as Neville placed his hand on the back of her neck. "Is this alright?" he asked quietly, suddenly hesitant, as he bent his head towards her.

"Yeah," she whispered as the feel of his touch on her neck and his warm breath on her face made her shiver.

"Good!" was his only reply as his lips suddenly met hers, gentle at first, but then more insistent as it became clear that she wasn't going to pull away from him the moment the spell released her. In fact, he was shocked when her kiss even intensified as soon as she could move again. In his excitement over this discovery, he pushed her up against the wide doorframe and she wrapped her arms around his neck while she enthusiastically returned his attentions. It wasn't until a small moan escaped him at the glorious feeling of finally snogging the witch that he had always wanted _and_ being kissed by her in return, that Neville returned to his senses. He pulled away from her slightly and leaned his forehead against hers as he tried to calm his ragged breathing.

"Careful," he heard Hermione whisper as she tried to control her own breathing, as well. "I would not be surprised to find out that George had woven a love…or lust…potion into the mistletoe enchantment."

At those words, Neville's eyes shot up to meet hers and he could read the uncertainty there. He then felt another surge of affection for the lovely witch as he realized that she honestly wasn't sure how he felt about her. She was just trying to be kind and give him a way to gracefully extricate himself from what could be an awkward situation between two people who were _just_ friends. However, Neville had waited much too long for this opportunity to back out now. He knew he couldn't go back to the way things had always been with her again, not after a kiss like that! Therefore, he firmly pressed her into the doorframe again and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Hermione, love, I have _never_ needed a potion to feel this way about you," he told her to _finally_ let her know what had been in his heart for so many years.

"Oh, Neville!" she whispered back with feeling and her hands came up to fist in his hair and pull him back to her. To his amazement, he heard her mutter, "I am _so_ happy to hear you say that!" right before her lips joined his for an encore performance.

They proceeded to joyfully lose themselves in each other's arms again for several minutes – until the sound of a throat clearing came from behind them and a distinctive Scottish voice said, "Well…I can see that Mr. Weasley has been up to his old tricks, again." The normally serious Headmistress could not help but to allow her lips to curl up slightly as she watched Professors Longbottom and Granger spring apart at the sound of her voice like guilty students being caught out after curfew. However, she continued to speak as if nothing unusual had happened. "Probably aided and abetted by a student… young Mr. Lupin, perhaps?

"Minerva!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise at seeing her friend and mentor at such a moment. Once she had recovered enough from her initial shock and embarrassment at being caught in such a situation, while Neville fought in vain to keep a goofy grin off of his face at the happy turn of events, she continued to try and speak as nonchalantly as possible. "Yes…I believe so. For just a first year, the lad is surprisingly determined to follow in the footsteps of his father and the original Marauders. George is delighted, of course, and has taken him under his wing to be _properly groomed for the position_ , as he says. Thus, I am afraid that we are in for a few interesting years." She paused to sigh good-naturedly before continuing. "At any rate, Neville here was just…um…helping me…to break the enchantment…since I had been caught under it for quite some time."

"Indeed," replied the Headmistress dryly, even though she looked between the young professors again with a twinkle in her eyes that could rival even Albus Dumbledore's. "Well then, when you are…finished…here, would you be so kind as to remove it so that we will have no further problems? In fact, please feel free to take…it…back to your chambers _now_. There are still a few young students left in the castle, you know. We wouldn't want to give them any ideas." With those words, she suddenly dropped on all fours in her tabby cat form, and sauntered on down the corridor, her whiskers trembling with repressed laughter while she thought about the fact that Aberforth owed her a galleon. The man had developed a grandfatherly relationship with Neville ever since their interactions during the war. Plus, he had also become quite fond of Hermione during the last term since she often went with Neville to visit him at the Hogs Head. Although the attraction between the two professors was blatantly obvious, Aberforth had wagered with Minerva that it would take at least until the New Year before the youngsters got together. She had declared that it would happen during the holidays. Therefore, she would definitely find time to head down to the village tomorrow to share her triumphant news - and to collect her winnings.

* * *

Once the sly animagus rounded the corner out of view, Neville and Hermione looked at each other almost shyly as they both thought about the passionate kisses that they had just shared. He decided to break the awkward tension by telling her the truth about what had happened earlier in the village.

"Hermione, I think that you need to know that when I took the students to the station, Teddy stopped me and told me that you wanted to see me in your office as soon as possible. I came straight here from Hogsmeade - just as soon as the train left. I don't think that he meant for you to be stuck very long, but I think that it is evident that…" his voice trailed off as he tried to figure out how to say what was on his mind.

"…we were set up," she finished for him and he nodded and looked at her closely. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest again as he nervously waited for her reaction. They had come too far for him to lose her now over the actions of others. Consequently, his breath hitched in relief when she just sighed and reached over to take his hand.

"Who do you think was in on it?" she asked as she entwined her fingers with his.

"I don't know," he admitted and squeezed her hand affectionately before another thought occurred to him. "Wait a minute!" he exclaimed. "You don't think that _she_ …" his voice trailed off as he looked down the corridor in the direction that Cat McGonagall had just taken.

Hermione caught his meaning immediately and giggled. "Well…I believe that there are very few things that happen in this castle that she does not know about!" she answered. "In fact, I think that if we put all of the clues together, then there is a distinct possibility that everyone we know has figured out that we…um… _care_ …about each other - and now they are determined to get us together."

"You care about me?" Neville focused on that one word and grinned madly at the thought of it. Daringly, he pulled her closer and could not help but to notice how natural it felt to have her in his arms.

"Of course I do! I always have!" Hermione exclaimed while she noted how attractive his signature lopsided grin was. "You were my first magical friend and you were _always_ there for me back then – even when Harry and Ron were not. However, I have known for quite a while that I now care about you in a _different_ way…" She didn't have time to finish that statement, though, because Neville was so thrilled at her admission that he suddenly started to kiss her again. He simply could not help himself! As the situation heated up, she was the one to give a little moan of enjoyment this time. The small sound of pleasure only served to fuel his enthusiasm and he redoubled his efforts. When his lips slipped down to her neck, however, she suddenly remembered where they were. Hermione pulled back from him a little, even though he still continued to nibble gently on the soft skin there. He did pause and look up into her eyes when she reminded him, in a low husky voice that sent shivers down his spine, "I believe that we were told to take _it_ to our chambers, Professor Longbottom. Don't you think that now would be a _really_ good time to comply with that request?" Her voice then dropped even lower when she reminded him that her rooms were much closer than his own were.

After waiting for such an invitation for what seemed to be a lifetime, Neville did not need to be told twice. He whipped out his wand, severed the sticking charm holding the now defunct mistletoe in place, stuffed it in his trouser pocket to dispose of later, grabbed Hermione's hand, and all but ran with her towards her rooms. Hermione's delighted laughter echoed down the corridors in both directions for several minutes after that - until they reached their destination.

* * *

"The magic of mistletoe," the Headmistress simply said to her dinner companions when the whereabouts of the two youngest professors were questioned since they did not show up for the evening meal in the Great Hall. Then she smirked as she watched a few more galleons change hands among the staff…all of whom apparently had formed an opinion about _if_ and _when_ certain events might take place between their younger colleagues. This was especially true since so many of them had suddenly remembered Neville's affection for Hermione from their student days once she had rejoined them as a member of the faculty. Consequently, the couple had been closely watched…and silently cheered on.

* * *

At some point later that same evening, George Weasley received an unsigned owl message from Hogwarts that simply read, _Project Nevmione has reached a successful conclusion!_ He whooped in triumph before forwarding the owl to the Burrow, whose happy occupants in turn forwarded it to Grimmauld Place. After a few more stops, the message eventually made its way back full circle to Hogwarts again where it was mistakenly delivered to Hermione's chambers early the next morning.

She could only laugh once she read the message…and saw the various forwarding addresses on the envelope. When Neville, clad only in a borrowed dressing gown came up behind her and started to nuzzle her neck affectionately, she also showed it to him.

"Well," he replied with obvious amusement in his voice. "I guess that answers that particular question. You were right...as usual. They were _all_ in on it!"

"Yes, indeed!" Hermione said with feeling. "Should we send them all Thank You notes later?"

He laughed and drew her back into his arms. "Perhaps _much_ later, if you wish," he agreed. "However, I have more pleasant things that I need to accomplish this morning." He then proceeded to show her exactly what kind of things that he had in mind as the note fluttered unnoticed down to the floor…right next to all of the scattered clothing that had been hurriedly removed the night before…and the sprig of magical mistletoe that lay in the center of it all.


End file.
